Fiji defeated Australia 22-15 for the first time in 69 years and sent a jolt of joy rippling through the Rugby World Cup today.
The Fijians had to win to stay in the hunt for their first quarterfinal in 16 years, and lived to fight on while putting the heat back on Wales and Australia, who meet next Monday NZT. One of the trio won’t make it out of Pool C.
Famed for being rugby’s greatest ad-libbers, Fiji put the razzle-dazzle away and won in a very un-Fijian traditional way: Breakdown domination, brick-wall defense, and relentless commitment for 80 minutes.
The Fijians were disciplined, composed and clinical in a heavily defensive game of few chances. Flanker Levani Botia and inside back Josua Tuisova led them with three turnovers each.
“I’m emotionally drained,” said Simon Raiwalui, Fiji’s coach only since February. “I couldn’t be prouder.”
This result was not on the scale of Japan beating South Africa in 2015 or that much of an upset. This result was coming. Fiji crushed the Pacific Nations Cup. They pushed France close and toppled England at Twickenham in the warmups.
Fiji came to the Rugby World Cup ranked higher than pool rivals Australia and Wales, and would have beaten Wales last weekend with even an ounce of luck.
“I told the boys, today is our final,” captain Waisea Nayacalevu said. “Today will determine whether we want to go up to the quarters, so the mindset was do or die, do our best, fight to the end and the result will take care of itself.”
Australia has brought to the Rugby World Cup their youngest squad in 20 years, a squad still learning how to win. A Fiji side that has been around the block several times gave the two-time champion Wallabies their first Rugby World Cup loss to a Pacific Island team.
Australia badly missed three key injured players — captain Will Skelton, vice captain Tate McDermott and tighthead Taniela Tupou — but the Fijians had the majority backing of the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard crowd, who cheered every turnover and penalty for Fiji.
And they had lots to cheer.
The Wallabies gave up 18 penalties, 11 at the breakdown. They stole six Fiji lineouts and still never got in a flow.
